Water filtration in dry sage country

[DunnCoHunter]

Im planning for a backpack hunt in Eastern Wyoming this fall, and wondering how much I need to worry about filtering water out of stagnant water holes. Some years the water holes look decent and somewhat clear. But On the dry years, it can be pretty muddy and brown. I have a sawyer squeeze and was thinking I could filter the water with a coffee filter before the sawyer. But for some reason it still makes me nervous. Does anyone have advice or experience? I would really like to avoid carrying water in again this year

 

[Carrot Farmer]

In E. Oregon we run into this issue sometimes. We dig out a “sediment basin”, run a tube(bic pen, blow tube) over dam, and run water thru a neck buff or handkerchief prior to dirty bag.

Sediment is my nemesis with my filters! Be sure to blowback to clear when done


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[littlerhorner]

Are they sometime muddy and sometimes clear based on imagery or based on first hand knowledge? We are looking really good moisture wise right now, but there is a lot of summer left over.

I would also pay attention to where you are going to be. There are areas I would not try to drink standing water in the fall matter the filter. Bentonite or selinum areas come to mind.

 

[DunnCoHunter]

I’ve been out there a couple times but mostly during dry years so maybe that would make a big enough difference. Most years even the running creeks are pretty brown. What is your concern with bentonite and selenium for filtration?

 

[littlerhorner]

Filtering suspended benotine would be like trying to filter milk. The selenium is toxic in high levels. There are areas where the selenium content gets high enough to exceed DEQ standards for livestock. If it were me I would filter directly out of the a stocktank before trying a reservoir or creek.

These are examples of location specific issues. I would go ahead and try whatever it is you are planning, just use common sense and have plenty of water at the truck.

 

[DunnCoHunter]

Thanks for the replies, that helps. I actually think there are a couple stock tanks not too far away from where I am. So that would probably be an easy option that I hadn’t even thought about!

 

[Spike elk]

In some area stock tanks are only turned on for years that the livestock are in rotation. Most areas I have seen rotate stock and are not grazed every year. Just something to think about.

 

[S.Clancy]

My experience in eastern MT is some of those pools have incredibly high solute concentrations. I don't know if they are unsafe to drink occasionally, but I would not want to be drinking a lot of water out of them. There are some springs depending on the surrounding geography/geology.

Thanks for the replies, that helps. I actually think there are a couple stock tanks not too far away from where I am. So that would probably be an easy option that I hadn’t even thought about!

Be aware that a lot of stock tanks/stock water systems may be drained prior to the first frost, so usually early/mid-October.

When I am hunting that type of country I always carry water. Last yr we packed in 4 gallons each.

 

[DunnCoHunter]

Ahh good point. I’ll maybe just plan to pack water in again but have my filter with me in case the water sources are good

 

[Macchina]

I have found a gravity filter can fix most of these problems. You can be picky about what goes into the bag and you can easily put a pre-filter inline.

If possible let the water sit in a container or bag overnight and then use the water off the top.

I use an MSR pre filter (called a siltstopper) and use a coffee filter in it once the included filter can’t be cleaned (just cram it in and screw it tight).

 

[Macchina]

Here is our gravity setup. Provides fresh water for 8 guys. I put a hole in a drybag and a 1/4” quick-connect for silicone surgical tubing. There’s MSR Siltstopper then a Sawyer filter then an MSR Dromedary (with a custom adapter to go from 1/4” tubing to the MSR cap.

We fill the blue bag at night and in the morning and get about 3 gallons a day this way. We always have 2 dromedary bags so one is hanging with fresh water and the other is filling. Easy peasy!

 

[JR Greenhorn]

That MSR Sweetwater SiltStopper works fantastic. I bought one when I bought a pump filter about a decade ago. My cousin bought the same pump but didn't get a prefilter. Using them basically side by side, my pump's cartridge lasted twice as long as his.

Now sadly they've been discontinued for a few years, and I'm down to my last package of the replacement elements. I'd sure like to find a solution that works as well as this did.